Combination warning signal and trouble lamp



Feb. 7, 1950 w, M. cox ET AL COMBINATION WARNING SIGNAL AND TROUBLE LAMP Filed May 8, 1947 l work.

A two halves 4 and Patented Feb. 7 1950 COMBINATION -WARNING SIGNAL AND 'TROUBLE LAMP Y William Miles Cox,Woodside, and Duncan W. F.v f Cox, Hillside Heights, N. Y.

' I l Application May 8, i947, Serial No. 746,643

This invention're'lates'- j light and' in' particular to; a safety* light which may be used as` a trouble light in aiding the oper `ator of a'vehicle. a '-When 'an Iautomobile breaks down due to motor or tire troublegitmaysometimes be necessary "for, the o'peratorto -.make needed repairs on a traveled-highway.'#Such repairs at night are fraught with'dangerwhichmay be lessened by adequate signal to approaching cars. Inaddition, said operator'require's a portable light which j may supply suiiicient illumination for repair A It is therefore thev ltion to provide a-combination signal and trouble light that is portable, simple to operate and easily connected to `the main battery circuit of any vehicle.

another object of .this-.inventions to provide a combination signal vand trouble light that'will furnish a steady beam-tof light which may be projectedinany directlonland a flashing` colored light which-may-beseenjfroni any direction.

to -a combination safety Y main object of this invenl 'Still another object of-this'invention'is to pro- --vide a combination-signaL-,and vtrouble light -der vice thatcan' be conveniently. stored Pand carried f in any automobleorfs'imilar vehicle.

Other objects kand advantages will appear when considered in-connectionflwith the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1. 4,is a .perspective elevational view of vour combination. signal 'and trouble'light;

Figure 2 is an `elevatirm'al view 'of' our combi- -nation signal andtroubleflight showing how the line cordmay beV wrapped about thelamp fior easy portability;

Figure 3- is allongitudinal sectional view of the lightv showninFlgure 1, taken along the linesS-t;V and Figure V4 is al cross-sectional view of the light shown in Figure 3,l taken along the line 4 4.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to the drawing of the combination light .shown in Figures l and 2, this combination light comprises a hollow casing I, shaped in the form of a spool inwhich the circular base ange 2 of said 'spool shape is larger in diameter than the circular top ange 3.' Said casing I consists of 5 which -maybe held together internally threaded" screws l. One fastening screw 'I and bolt 6 being .situated near the top ofthe light while the other is situated-near the base. Said base flange 2 has a One wall of Athe ,groove 2 I.

- 5 cleans. :(01. 177-329) groove Bis the top portion 9 of said 'base .flange 2 -while the bottom wall Vofy said grooye isf-an internal lip I which projects from the vertical wall II in said base flange 2.' An insulating disc i2, composed of any suitable insulating suchas Bakelite for example, isadapted to 'fit within said peripheral 'groove sof said base ange 2. A lamp base I3 made ofjany suitable conducting material is bolted tothefoenter of said insulating disc I2 so that the vinternally threaded-end I4 of said 'lamp base .I3 projects upward yinto the cavity I5 of said hollow casing of said cylindrical wall- I'. A central section I Iiv I`l`of said hollow casing lI is cut out to-.form a vwindow I8 which is covered by anyv suitable clear transparent material and held in .position by means of rivets I9. A

Said circular top ilange 3 has peripheral hor-i zontal groovesthe other iniparallel relationship and separated by an internally projecting lip l22. insulat- 1 ing disc 23 having a centrally located circular aperture 24 islnsertedin said lower peripheral A circular lamp base 'I3 havingan internally 'threaded surface I4 is attachedto substantially ,the central portion oli-'said insulating-disc 23` by means'of bolts 2-1 so thatthe channel in said lamp base 25 coincides with the aperture 24 in said insulating disc 23. A dome 28 made of any suitable transparent colored material which should be red preferably encloses the top of said top flange 3. Said-'doniel has anged edges 29 which are adapted-to-tfwithin test clips n said outlet to the storage battery terminals of areseparatable and ,1 by means of bolts 6 andv said upper grooves 20 of saidtopfflange 3 and thus hold said dome 28 in place.

Anfelectric light bulb 30 that provides-a steady white light is screwed into-the internally threaded end 4 Another light bulb 3| isscrewedinto'the internally threaded surface 26 of said lamp base 25 and is thus supported in position within said f theicar or any power. p

Connected in series with one of the wires leading to the signal light bulb 3| isa solenoid 33 or any suitable intermittent on-oif switch which causes-said signal bulb 3| as shown in Figure 3.

other convenient source of electric material, i

20 and 2| arranged 'one above to flash intermittently andere Figure 4 shows the method of taking the light apart for replacing electric light bulbs. This is accomplished by removing said screws I from said bolts 6 and separating the two halves l and l of said casing I.

When the lamp is not in use. it may be stored conveniently by wrapping the lead-in cord il around the central portion of said casing I while the spool nanges 2 and I serve as shoulders for keeping said cord I2 from slipping o!! the casing I.

In the operation of the device, the lamp is placed on its base 2 and the wire cord il unwrapped and connected to a source o i current. The light from bulb 30 is so directed as to illuminate the object to be repaired while `the intermittent switch operation of the solenoid il causes said light bulb 3l to flash within the colored dome 28 and thus4 warn an approaching' automobile of the danger ahead.

As' will be seen from the above description, the invention discloses a combination safety light which is portable and is capable of furnishing to an automobile operator sufcient light for night repairs and at the same time supply a flashing danger signal to warn approaching cars that there is a stalled car ahead.

While, in disclosing the principles of our invention and its preferred embodiment, we have described various detailed structures and relationship, it will be understood that such embodiment and details are given by way of example only and not as limiting to the scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A combination warning signal and trouble lamp, comprising a hollow casing having a central portion and flanges at the upper and lower ends of said central portion, a window situated within said central portion, a transparent dome situated in the upper one of said flanges, a lamp situated within said hollow casing, a lamp situated within said transparent dome means for causing the lamp located within said transparent dome to flash intermittently, said hollow casing being divided in halves and means for holding said hollow casing halves together.

2. A combination warning signal and trouble lamp. comprising ahollow casing divided longitudinally in two halves, said casing being formed in the shape of a spool, one flange of said spool shaped casing being larger than the other, a lamp arranged within said hollow casing, means for supporting said lamp, a window situated in the central wall of said spool shaped casing, a transparent dome situated in the upper of said flanges, a lamp situated within said transparent dome, means for holding said casing halves together, insulating elements adapted to support the lamps and means for cutting off the current supply to said lamp situated within said transparent dome, intermittently.

3. A combination warning signal and trouble lamp as set forth in claim 2 in which said hollow casing has a cylindrical shaped central body, said larger flange being the base of said lamp, a plurality of grooves cut in the flanges and said dome and said insulating elements adapted to t within the grooves of said anges.

4. A combination warning signal and trouble lamp, as set forth in claim 2 in which the two lamps are wired in parallel circuits, a current interrupting element situated within the one 0f said parallel circuits supplying said lamp located within the transparent dome, said parallel circuit being connected by outlet wires to a source of current and said outlet wires being adapted to be wrapped around said spool shaped casing between said flanges when said light is to be transported.

5. A combination warning signal and trouble lamp as set forth in claim 2 in which said dome protrudes above said upper ange in which it is held, said dome having the flashing light therein and means for insulating said lamp from the casing.

WILLIAM MILES COX. DUNCAN W. F. COX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

Muldoon Dec. 10, 1940 

